help!! Am hoping to enter Ella in the Classic Channel Regatta next year which of course means crossing the Channel to France and hence the declaration of VAT

Ella was the Paris Boatshow model in 1980 and then bought by a French model who kept her in S of France until she was shipped back to the UK circa 2006. JR thinks that she was built in 1979/80 but has no record of VAT receipt. VAT must have been paid at some point but her previous owners have no record. I have tried the Gov website Notice 8: sailing your pleasure craft to and from the UK but it's all getting v complicated. Section 4.2 states: 'Certain vessels that were in use as private pleasure craft prior to 1/1/85 and were in the EU on 31st Dec 1992 may be deemed VAT paid under Single Market transitional arrangements'. Although in the light of recent events it may all change!!

Does anyone have any information about the best way to proceed in this matter??

I can't help other than so say that you are very, very, very unlikely to be asked to prove that VAT has been paid on a boat that is the age of ours. The French customs folks are far more interested on "modern" boats that would have been built since the current rules came into force.

I have never been asked to provide this info and having spoken with many sailing friends about this they have never been asked either.

HMRC have issued advice on the subject which more or less confirms what has already been said above.

An enthusiastic Customs Officer has asked me for proof of VAT in France though he did not follow it up and passed the matter over. His parting words to me were:

"You know you should carry this information - we can ask you for it"

Anyway I now carry a translation of the UK HMRC advice to cover any future inconvenience. In brief, it says that if you carry a Bill of Sale and registration details (proof of build date) then, whilst this not prove that VAT was originally paid, it does confirm that the matter is the sole business of the UK authorities.

I can send you a copy of this if it is any use, I can't see any obvious way of attaching it...

You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot create polls in this forumYou cannot vote in polls in this forum